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Star Labs add an AMD Ryzen option to the StarBook Mk V

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Want a fancy new laptop with great Linux support? Check out the StarBook Mk V, which just added an AMD Ryzen option.

Originally revealed in 2021, it's quite a tidy little unit the starts at £778, although as neither the Intel or AMD models are available until later this month (Intel) and late June (AMD) you get a 5% discount if you order now. The AMD model is also only available with either English (US) or English (UK) keyboard layouts.

So now you get a choice between Intel Core i3-1115G4, Intel® Core® i7-1165G7 or an AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800U 1.90GHz with all models configurable from 8GB RAM up to 64GB 3200MHz. Storage options are different though, while all can have an SSD from 240GB to 1920GB, the Intel models have the extra ability to be configured with "Gen4" SSDs that the AMD model does not. Additionally, the Intel model has a Thunderbolt 4 port while the AMD model has USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port instead.

With the display you get a 14 inch LED-backlit matte covering with IPS at 1920 x 1080. For power, they claim "up to" 11 hours battery life. You get a 65-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery, with a 65w USB-C Power Adapter.

You can select between various operating systems too including Ubuntu, elementary OS, Kubuntu, Linux Mint, Manjaro and more. Windows is an option too but adds to the cost.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: AMD, Hardware, Misc
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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damarrin May 4, 2022
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Gen4 SSDs are certainly a feature, but I think the key element here is that Thunderbolt 4 is only available with Intel. Quite a big drawback of the AMD version.
Para-Gliding May 4, 2022
"Up to 11hrs"... means nothing.

When a company doesn't provide the energy unit of the batteries in Wh or in MJ (knowing that 1Wh = 3.6 MJ), it can't claim something about the battery life of a laptop, and be considered as a professional laptop company.

If with a battery under 70 Wh, not to be considered as a nomad laptop with such an APU (45w on average usage!) for me.
scaine May 4, 2022
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Quoting: Para-GlidingWhen a company doesn't provide the energy unit of the batteries in Wh or in MJ (knowing that 1Wh = 3.6 MJ), it can't claim something about the battery life of a laptop, and be considered as a professional laptop company
I agree that it's odd that the site doesn't mention the battery at all beyond this vague claim, but I also think you need to tone down the rhetoric a bit. Star Labs have been selling laptops for years - they're obviously a professional laptop company. Just because you, personally (and yeah, okay, me), are offended at the lack of technical detail doesn't change that!

Anyway, a quick visit to their support site, I found a complete disassembly guide for the Star Book, and it looks like they use 65wh li-on battery, as pictured.

Liam Dawe May 4, 2022
I've added the battery info, it is all there on their specs sheet when you go to order.


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 4 May 2022 at 1:47 pm UTC
anewson May 4, 2022
isn't this a little expensive? I tried to fit up an XPS 13 with the same specs and got to about the same price, except that the XPS13 has a 4k screen, smaller bezels, and is much, much thinner (and a copy of everyone's favourite operating system, Windows 10 )
Liam Dawe May 4, 2022
Quoting: anewsonisn't this a little expensive? I tried to fit up an XPS 13 with the same specs and got to about the same price, except that the XPS13 has a 4k screen, smaller bezels, and is much, much thinner (and a copy of everyone's favourite operating system, Windows 10 )
Same story as always: smaller vendor can't ship tens of thousands and have tiny margins.
torham May 4, 2022
Keyboard looks terrible, no trackpoint, no physical buttons for touchpad. I doubt I could use this for even one day without tossing it out the window. It's too bad because they have a lot right and I would love a laptop with coreboot.
Para-Gliding May 4, 2022
@Scaine
Thank you for the info, and to Liam to have included the information in the post. Now, if someone in this company reads, it should definitely be added with all the pictures about the inside of the beast.
With such a small niche, they should be more informative, especially to a connoisseur target.

Offtopic but I need to tell
Quoting: scaine[...] but I also think you need to tone down the rhetoric a bit. [...]
About "toning down", I feel that's beginning to be your main line in comment: not making waves, no head sticking out, no comment that would go against one of your own convictions or feelings (because you accept non-neutral comments when they go your way; Which is okay, as it is your own site; But should be clearly claimed, would help readers to figure out if we will seek information there or other places). Quite perturbing for me and make this site more and more unpleasant to read for me while I enjoyed your works for years. Is it a matter of monetization (if so, should be publicize, I guess), or you no longer want to compromise? or getting the big head (hope not!)?

Anyway. No waves, no noise, no questioning, no argument... All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds ;)
sarmad May 4, 2022
Too bad it's not the 6000 series (the one with RDNA graphics).
scaine May 5, 2022
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Quoting: Para-GlidingAbout "toning down", I feel that's beginning to be your main line in comment: not making waves, no head sticking out, no comment that would go against one of your own convictions or feelings (because you accept non-neutral comments when they go your way; Which is okay, as it is your own site; But should be clearly claimed, would help readers to figure out if we will seek information there or other places). Quite perturbing for me and make this site more and more unpleasant to read for me while I enjoyed your works for years. Is it a matter of monetization (if so, should be publicize, I guess), or you no longer want to compromise? or getting the big head (hope not!)?

A couple of points on this. First of all, I sponsor this site via Patreon and help with occasional back-end admin, but I'm otherwise as much a consumer of this site as you. It belongs to Liam, not me. I comment a lot though, so I get why you'd think I'm involved more than I actually am.

As for my comment on toning it down, you're right I use it a lot, but I try to put a positive spin on it - although in your case, that was only a smiley face, so apologies for my tone. I didn't intend it to be an attack.

But I can't deny that your comment annoyed me. Here's a company trying their best to do right by Linux users, selling laptops at probably next-to-no margin, and your first take was to be negative about the lack of technical detail, and so pronounce the entire outfit as "not professional". I just find that attitude so tiring, so depressing. And worse, it was nearly trivial to find that information if you looked - but you didn't, you just commented here negatively. So, yeah, I'm sorry for my tone. I just find it really hard to ignore.

As for rest of your comment, that's for Liam to respond to if he chooses. I think he moderates this community well, despite lots of varied opinions, but that's just my 2 cents.
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